Strathroy Troubles

[flyers2011]

Well said, i totally agree.

[RocketGirl]

What do you consider a local player Oggie?

# PLAYER Pos. HEIGHT WEIGHT SHOOTS BIRTHDAY Hometown
3 Copps, Dante D 6-0 190 R Jan 29, 1997 London ON
4 Good, Dalton D 5-11 185 R Aug 10, 1996 London ON
5 Clarke, Jeff D 6-0 190 L Apr 15, 1999 Komoka ON
6 Balasin, Turner F 6-0 187 R Dec 13, 1998 Strathroy ON
7 Hogg, Evan D 6-0 175 L Jun 14, 1998 London ON
8 Griggs, Steve F 5-10 170 R Aug 21, 1996 Collingwood ON
10 Laberge, Matt D 5-11 165 R May 26, 1995 Strathroy ON
11 Bulitka, Shane F 5-9 180 L Jul 09, 1999 Ilderton ON
12 Griffin, Nick F 5-7 170 L Dec 04, 1996 London ON
15 Ewart, Max F 5-10 160 L Mar 26, 1998 Mt. Brydges ON
16 Kelly, Wesley F 6-1 180 R May 02, 1998 Komoka ON
17 Milne, Kieran F 6-3 200 L Apr 08, 1995 Oshawa ON
19 McGhee, Matt F 5-11 158 L Apr 05, 1998 London ON
22 Latina, Lucas F 5-9 190 L May 04, 1997 Toronto ON
23 O`Connell, Riley F 5-11 180 R Feb 21, 1995 Whitby, ON
24 Tooke, Noah D 6-0 197 L Dec 01, 1998 London ON
26 McRoberts, Codey F 6-1 185 L Aug 29, 1998 London ON
27 Stevens, Matthew F 5-11 175 L Dec 31, 1998 Watford ON
28 Harris, TJ F 5-10 177 L Dec 29, 1998 Wyoming ON
30 Ouellet, Mat G 5-11 195 Nov 10, 1995 Whitby ON
33 Gubbels, Dane G 6-0 175 Feb 05, 1996 Mt. Brydges ON
Sedlak, Tristan (APM) F 5-9 160 L Mar 06, 1999 Strathroy ON

This is our roster. I've bolded the ones I feel are local, which is 10 including Sedlak. There's 3 from Strathroy, 2 from Mt. Brydges, 2 from Komoka, 1 from Ilderton, 1 from Watford and 1 from Wyoming. They're all within 20 minutes. And then there's 7 from London, which is local as well.

Are you expecting us to fill a 23 man roster with only kids from Strathroy-Caradoc?

[Oglethorp]

What do you consider a local player Oggie?

# PLAYER Pos. HEIGHT WEIGHT SHOOTS BIRTHDAY Hometown
3 Copps, Dante D 6-0 190 R Jan 29, 1997 London ON
4 Good, Dalton D 5-11 185 R Aug 10, 1996 London ON
5 Clarke, Jeff D 6-0 190 L Apr 15, 1999 Komoka ON
6 Balasin, Turner F 6-0 187 R Dec 13, 1998 Strathroy ON
7 Hogg, Evan D 6-0 175 L Jun 14, 1998 London ON
8 Griggs, Steve F 5-10 170 R Aug 21, 1996 Collingwood ON
10 Laberge, Matt D 5-11 165 R May 26, 1995 Strathroy ON
11 Bulitka, Shane F 5-9 180 L Jul 09, 1999 Ilderton ON
12 Griffin, Nick F 5-7 170 L Dec 04, 1996 London ON
15 Ewart, Max F 5-10 160 L Mar 26, 1998 Mt. Brydges ON
16 Kelly, Wesley F 6-1 180 R May 02, 1998 Komoka ON
17 Milne, Kieran F 6-3 200 L Apr 08, 1995 Oshawa ON
19 McGhee, Matt F 5-11 158 L Apr 05, 1998 London ON
22 Latina, Lucas F 5-9 190 L May 04, 1997 Toronto ON
23 O`Connell, Riley F 5-11 180 R Feb 21, 1995 Whitby, ON
24 Tooke, Noah D 6-0 197 L Dec 01, 1998 London ON
26 McRoberts, Codey F 6-1 185 L Aug 29, 1998 London ON
27 Stevens, Matthew F 5-11 175 L Dec 31, 1998 Watford ON
28 Harris, TJ F 5-10 177 L Dec 29, 1998 Wyoming ON
30 Ouellet, Mat G 5-11 195 Nov 10, 1995 Whitby ON
33 Gubbels, Dane G 6-0 175 Feb 05, 1996 Mt. Brydges ON
Sedlak, Tristan (APM) F 5-9 160 L Mar 06, 1999 Strathroy ON

This is our roster. I've bolded the ones I feel are local, which is 10 including Sedlak. There's 3 from Strathroy, 2 from Mt. Brydges, 2 from Komoka, 1 from Ilderton, 1 from Watford and 1 from Wyoming. They're all within 20 minutes. And then there's 7 from London, which is local as well.

Are you expecting us to fill a 23 man roster with only kids from Strathroy-Caradoc?

Speaking from a fan base perspective I would consider 2 from Strathroy, the 2 from Mt Brydges the 2 from Komoka and the 1 from Ilderton. The AP from Strathroy doesn't count on the 23 man roster unless the Rockets acquire another 16 year old card and sign him. Watford and Wyoming are local to Lambton Shores or Sarnia since they were non imports to the Lambton Jr Sting and not Elgin Middlesex Chiefs for AAA. The London players are obviously local to the London Nationals. That is it at least from a fan base perspective. The league has changed its import rules to consider anyone in the conference local and is likely going league wide soon enough. I would assume by your broad range for local players that the Rocket fans would recognize players from Amherstburg as local kids as well. It is interesting to note that Ilderton is considered local. Hayden Broomhead from Ilderton is a former Rocket AP that wasn't signed, now plays in Stratford and sits 4th overall in league scoring. One has to wonder had the Rockets thought he was worth adding to their team would the Rockets team be stronger? Perhaps not.

[RocketGirl]

Amherstburg isn't local for us, nor would I consider it, but since Watford is literally 15 minutes from Strathroy, that's local. We're closer for Stevens than Forest is. But I'll put Wyoming in the gray area, but it's still only 20 or so minutes away from us.

Regarding Broomhead, the fact that he's in Stratford is because that's where he wants to be. What are we supposed to do, tell a kid that he has to play for us when he doesn't want to?

In any event, this is just a pissing match between us and I'm tired of arguing with a 45 year old man.

I'm done with this and the other topic because no matter what we do, the Rockets are wrong and you're all right.

[ohaguru]

bump

[Oglethorp]

Why do players flee,
If Strathroy is the place to be.

There you have it, my lame attempt at poetry for the day.

As dismal as things may look in Strathroy, there are positives with some of the new Rockets. Bulitka will almost certatinly be in the OHL next season with Sudbury, young 17 year olds like Kelly, Ewart and McGhee (before anyone says it I do realize he is a London resident) along with 16 year olds Clark and Sedlak could form a strong nucleus to build around. If Gubbles Griffin and Good return as overagers and they can convince Diamond not to sign in St Thomas pending the OHL draft they should bounce back to a respectable level going forward. Add in Balasin and a focus on getting Western Middlesex county kids that are Jr B ready to sign in Strathroy will go along way to improving attendance. More fans in the stands means more revenue that can be put back into the team. For example Chatham, Lasalle and Sarnia all signed local players first then looked outside. Scouting EMC Minor Midget and using an AP or two from there will generate more local interest. St Thomas has already made in roads with the 2000 Chiefs so why doesn't Strathroy at least try? If the Rocket team shows interest, the players (and fans) will come.

[ohaguru]

And the beat goes on.......

[OHAHockeyFan]

If he's a non-import, he's a local as far as I'm concerned. When you don't have club systems anymore and more teams go at large affiliations you have to think bigger picture. Borders coming down at every level for hockey. To compare Strathroy to London and say that all London players are locals to Nationals only is pretty small minded. Strathroy is a staple - they'll get better. Just some minor struggles but nothing they won't get through

[Oglethorp]

The coach seems to be well liked but he's just not ready, OK hair though.

To be fair, he didn't build this team and if propping the current GM up behind the bench is thought to be a solution, fans should recall no one gave his 17 year olds less ice than he did when he coached. Latina gets more ice in one shift than he got in an entire game last year. Instead of learning the league last year he is doing it this year. Last night Adam Keyes, an annual all star in minor hockey was a catalyst to waking up the sleeping Stars after Strathroy took a 1-0 lead. Interestingly, Keyes attended the Rockets summer skates but was not one of a number of London players offered a card well in advance of main camp this year. He was a leader offensively with London Midgets last year along with new teammate Ethan Nother.
Merin the Magician is still avaiable after his departure from St Marys. Strathroy resident Ray Giffen Former Dircector of Player Personel in the Lambton Shores could be looking for a new challenge.There are options to the status quo. With the December 1st deadline for movement to Jr C approaching another player retention issue could be looming

[flyers2011]

well the streak has hit 13 games after a 3-1 loss to Sarnia, judging by the stats the Rockets played a decent game but 0 for 10 on the power play wont win you many games.

[ohaguru]

bump

[Dr. Pepper]

It was my thought (when I heard that Brendan Riggin was named head coach) that the Riggin family (uncle Pat, father Larry) had invested money in the team. The manager may have his hands tied in trying to replace him.

[boaaa17]

Nick Griffin has walked away from the Rockets and hockey all together. Has just lost the passion and enjoyment off the game

[Marcie]

Nick was at practice last week but missed the last 4 games. Everyone is pretty tightlipped about the entire situation. Big loss if he has left. He is their top penalty killer, fastest skater, and was leading the team in scoring (based on video, not Pointstreak.)

[flyers2011]

wow wow another player to leave Strathroy, whats your thoughts RG ? your close to the team

[Oglethorp]

Nick Griffin has walked away from the Rockets and hockey all together. Has just lost the passion and enjoyment off the game

This is the 2nd player to leave Rocketland in the last 2 weeks. The Rocket players always have individual banners hung at the west end of the rink. I know there was no Matt McGhee picture hanging, not sure Griffins was there or not. I had heard about McGhee leaving last week. Rockets management doesn't seem overly concerned about this. Maybe they think if they ignore the defections the problem will
go away.

[Marcie]

Griffin's banner was not there. Neither was Bulitka's, but I believe he was still in Sudbury when the photos were taken.

[RocketGirl]

It doesn't matter what I have to say because you guys will rip it apart anyways, but you could tell that Nick wasn't into it this season. His Dad made the comment to me a month or so ago that he was waiting for his kid to get going because he wasn't playing like the Nick Griffin that we all know.

[Oglethorp]

I know on Saturday night there was a lot of chatter and speculation about the GM re-appointing himself as the coach. Personally I don't think that would change much. Some of the young Rockets will become good JrB players eventually and I think you are correct when you say some of the ones out of minor hockey (and maybe their parents) haven't made the adjustment to Jr hockey yet. Others in my opinion are JrC calibre at best. With the exception of goaltending I don't think the team is getting what they need out of the returning players either. Frequent and bad penalties don't help. Tonight they play in London and the Nats have added another piece, John Adams from Georgetown in the OJHL that averaged just over 1 point per game over the last 2 seasons. Key to the game for the Rockets should be '"stay out of the box". That is their best chance to break the skid tonight.

[RocketGirl]

I'd just like to point out that Griffin participated with the team this afternoon in the Strathroy Santa Claus Parade and he's in attendance at tonight's game. He's not dressed, but he's here.

[ohaguru]

Good to here, he is a good kid and a player that should be your "C" next year. I see that the Rockets#22 helped the Maroons again. When will the coach come to grips and put that guy in the stands where he belongs. That young team is getting destroyed by that guy.

[brad 36]

you cant blame that loss on latina chatham just flat out out played the rockets plain and simple.

[flyers2011]

flat out outplayed them ? the shots were 41-41 and a 2-1 game with a empty netter. Couldn't of outplayed them that bad ?

[brad 36]

you were not at the game and have NO IDEA how many times the net came off in the second and things of that nature either way the boys played well and got the win

[RocketGirl]

We were in the game, you didn't out play us. We battled hard, but the bounces didn't and just haven't gone our way yet.

[brad 36]

i would call a short handed goal being out worked.

[Oglethorp]

Judging by the win/loss record Strathroy has had a lot of "bad bounces" this year if one was to really believe that this team is that close to the top or mid pack teams in the league this year. I saw them play in London last Wednesday and Strathroy got a well deserved win over a much more talent deep London team by out working them for 60 minutes and staying out of the box for the most part. Taking penalties and trying to kill them doesn't usually work well against better teams and is certainly not Strathroy's forte.

Apart from that game the "bounces" have consistently not gone Strathroy's way since early October. Since that time a couple of players voluntarily have bounced themselves off the roster, Rockets management has bounced in a couple of players from the Shoe with one assist each at the time of acquisition and nothing bounces more in Strathroy than the nets coming off their moorings at both ends of the rink. As noted Nick Griffin bounced back into town for the parade and attended the game as a spectator. Last week when Sarnia was in town Andrew Martin attended the game as a spectator perhaps to see some of his former teammates play. Time will tell if that was Griffins purpose in attending.

[Oglethorp]

As I drove past the WMMC this morning I could see the white flag proudly flapping in the wind.

With the breaking news that the top scorer and top goalie have left for greener pastures one has to wonder when the board of directors will step in and make a change. This follows the previous voluntary departures of 2 players and a member of the coaching staff. Although one player may return one can only imagine how many others are eyeing up the Exeter Hawks for 2016-17.

The Rockets who already struggle to score goals will be even more challenged now with the departure of OConnell. Oulette who faced more rubber than a fan in the front row at turn 1 in the Indy 500 on a nightly basis will pass the sceptor to Dane Gubbles who will no doubt be up for the challenge. This leaves 16 year old Shane Bulitka as the current offensive leader on the team. Big load to carry for youngsters on this team.

[ohaguru]

Corgan lands in Chatham and scores in first game.

[Marcie]

Yes you are correct. It was about as dismal of an effort that you could imagine. Very difficult to say positive things on a radio broadcast.